Peter Stark
by CreativityFlow
Summary: The day Peter was dropped into Tony's arms, he knew life was about to be hectic. In order to protect the small baby, Tony kept him a secret from the world. From the day of Peter's secret arrival, to the reveal (and maybe a little past that), the Stark household is never quiet. Episodic, updates are random.
1. Adopt

**You would not believe how many responses I got were amazing. So, here it is. The story of Tony and Peter Stark, and how they live their lives. Like I said, I will rename this story to "Peter Stark," and will also change the summary. Also, it may have been confusing on the author's note, but when I said I post the chapters out of order, I meant that I write them out of order. When I post them, I will organize them so that they appear in order, but after I've posted what I have written, it will be random in the time line.**

* * *

Tony was shocked, to say the least. The woman in front of him was familiar, of course, but he hadn't seen her since that charity event two years ago-

Oh. And there it was.

The carrier was big, probably bigger than necessary, and a giant, blue bag was strapped to her shoulder.

"Mary," Tony greeted, trying to keep his gaze off the carrier.

"You remembered," the woman smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Can we talk?"

Tony really wanted to say no. It was three in the morning (not that he was sleeping anyway), and he had a huge business meeting tomorrow (not that he was planning on attending). But the brunette in front of him looked dead on her feet, and Tony honestly feared that if Mary Lucas didn't sit down soon, she would collapse on his doorstep.

Slowly, hesitantly, Tony opened the door wide enough for her to pass through, and motioned her in. He led her to the main room, turning on lights as he went. With a flip of a switch, the fireplace roared to life, and Tony motioned for his guest to take a seat before offering a drink.

"Coffee," she said, without blinking. "Black, please."

Tony spared another glance at the carrier before nodding and leaving to prepare the beverage.

He wanted to pop open some alcohol, erase his memory of what was about to happen. He didn't want to face what he knew waited for him. But even he knew that was a bad idea, something that he couldn't bring himself to do.

He came back with two steaming cups, and handed one to Mary.

"I think you can guess why I'm here, so I'll skip the pleasantries," she said, not looking at him. She was focused on the carrier, her eyes sparkling and a sad smile gracing her lips. "His name is Peter. He's nine months old, and the only father he's ever known is my new husband, Richard."

Tony listened intently, wondering what she was leading to.

"Richard has business to attend to over seas. We would leave him with Richard's brother, but... It's dangerous. Ben and May have only seen Peter once or twice." She turned to Tony, and held him in her gaze. "But they aren't his family, and I can't ask them to put their lives on hold for him. You're his father, Tony, whether you knew it or not. This is something you have to do for your son."

Tony blinked. "You want me to babysit?" Tony asked. "That's all?"

Mary winced. "It's more than that. Like I said, it's dangerous. If something happens to us, I will trust you with my - our son."

She looked sadly at the baby next to her, and Tony wondered if she truly believed in the words she said, or if it was a practiced speech.

"Me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I didn't put your name down on the birth certificate. Not even Richard knows you're the father," she told him. "I didn't want word to get out. Can you imagine? Petey would be watched constantly. He'd never know what a normal childhood felt like."

"And you think dropping him off with me would be a normal childhood?" Tony scoffed. "I'm a drunk, a genius. I have my own multi-billion dollar company. You really want him to be raised like that?"

Mary sighed. "I know it probably doesn't make much sense. But Tony, you have to understand; I'm leaving the fate of my child to you." Her eyes trailed back to the baby, who still hadn't made a sound. Tony realized he must have been sleeping. "If something goes wrong, if Richard and I don't come back... Just promise me he'll have a future. Promise me he will be loved."

Tony downed his coffee and stood from his seat. "Just how dangerous is this thing? And why do you have to go?"

May didn't answer.

"This aunt and uncle of his, why can't they take care of him?"

"They've only met Peter once or twice," she explained. "I can't put that financial strain on them."

"I could pay child support," he offered.

"They're not even his real family," Mary said, giving him a quick glare. "If everything goes right, we'll be back within a month. If not... Promise he will be loved. Promise me he will be happy."

Tony didn't have a clue on how he was supposed to do that, but he nodded. "Sure. I'll do my best."

Mary smiled, and tears formed in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered, and pressed her lips too the baby's forehead. "Now, there's enough diapers and baby food to last a week. His favorite toy is the hippo, and he likes to lose his pacifier, so you'll have to keep an eyes on that. Oh, and his bedtime is 7:30, and he's an early riser. I wrote a list of everything I could think of, but I probably forgot some things, but you'll find the internet really is magical." The tears were spilling over now, and it looked like it took everything she had to not break down then and there.

"Wait, I don't even have a crib," Tony protested. "You meant now? What am I-?"

"Tony, please," she chuckled. "You're a genius billionaire inventor. I'm sure you can come up with something." She was standing, staring between the door and the baby. "I have to go," she whispered, "it's for his safety."

Then she ran, only doing long enough to reach for the doorknob.

"Wait!"

She stopped, the door wide open and faced away.

"You said his name was Peter," Tony started, still frozen in his place. "But you said you were married, so I doubt it's Peter Lucas. Unless-"

"He has your name," she told him. "Peter Stark. But, yes, Lucas no longer applies. It's Parker now."

The closed softly behind her, and the baby - Peter - , as if sending his mothers disappearance, began to whine.

"Oh no," Tony groaned, and walked over to take Peter out of the carrier. It was awkward, and if anything, it made Peter fuss any more, but Tony did his best to bounce and walk around.

He found his phone laying on the coffee table, where his and Mary's empty cups still sat, and dialed the most important number in his contacts.

It rang three times before a groggy and annoyed voice answered.

"It's four in the morning, Tony," Pepper groaned. "I'll see you in three hours. Just make your own coffee."

"Pep, this is important," Tony stressed.

In his arms, Peter squealed as he hit Tony's cheek with his tiny hands.

"Was that-?"

"Pepper, please get here now." Tony was begging, and the realization of what he had just agreed to was settling in. "And if you don't mind, could you pick up a crib?"


	2. Adapt

**Have some cute family fluff~**

* * *

It was a week later Tony heard the news.

A plane crash. All that talk of a dangerous business trip, and Mary and her husband had died before they even reached their destination.

And now he was left with Peter. The little boy was lying on the floor, entertaining himself with a cup, and Tony watched on in stunned silence.

He had a kid. He had a child with no mother, and who was vulnerable to the world. This tiny little person had barged into his life, nearly taken over his home, and Tony didn't have a clue on what to do next.

Slowly, as though not to startle Peter, Tony kneeled down on the ground. "Hey, uh, Peter," he said. "Looks like it's just you and me now, hmm?"

Peter giggled, and beat the cup against the floor.

Tony sighed. "I'm talking to a baby. You can't even talk yet." He pulled the kids diaper bag closer to him, and looked inside. Building blocks and noise makers stared up at him, and Tony shook his head. "I'm sorry, kid. I'm not the kind of guy who should be raising you."

Peter didn't answer, and Tony took that as the okay to reach for his phone and dial Pepper.

All the while, Peter stared up at him, alternating between chewing on the cup and sucking on his fingers.

"Hello, Tony," Proper answered, sounding worried. "How are you holding up? I heard about Mrs. Parker."

"About that," Tony said, rubbing his eyes and absentmindedly reaching over to gently pry the cup from Peter's mouth. "I need your help with something."

Pepper sighed. "I was wondering when you'd call about... arrangements."

Tony found himself staring. Peter stared back, and Tony would swear the kid was begging him not to say what was on his mind. His cheeks were pink, his eyes a dark brown. His chubby fingers clutched at Tony's, and the genius billionaire play boy philanthropist felt his heart break.

Tony groaned, and covered the speaking on his phone. "You'll be the death of me, kid. I mean it, you're lucky you look like me." He turned back to his phone, and told Pepper, "I need you to pick up some parenting help books, but make sure they're audio. I'll listen to them while I work in the lab. And we'll have to baby proof the place, cause the kid can already crawl and I've had to dig him out of the cabinets twice this week."

"...Tony?" Pepper asked. "You're serious? Because you can't change your mind later."

Tony gazed at Peter - his son - and nodded. "I'm sure about this. Just be sneaky about it. We don't need the press hearing about this."

"I'll set up a conference and write you a speech," Pepper offered. "How do you want to play this?"

The press. The media. Tony remember those days, of when his own father would parade him around, cameras and reporters would track his every move.

"No." Tony was shocked to hear his own voice, but continued on. "No, the press can't know about Peter. No one can know about Peter."

"Tony, you can't just keep the fact that you have a son a secret," Pepper pressed. "There's a ton legal stuff we have to sort through."

"Well, call my lawyer and have everyone swear to secrecy. My son will not be the subject of gossip magazines." Peter shrieked, and Tony nodded. "See? The kid agrees with me."

There was stunned silence on the other end of the phone, and Tony waited.

"I'll buy the audio books," she stated. "And I'll call the legal team, see what they do. You need to start on fixing the place up; lock up the breakable things, keep the for to the stairs closed and locked, and for the love of god, Tony, get rid of those stupid weapons you have displayed in the foyer."

Tony winced. "I need locks for the cabinet doors," he said. "I wasn't kidding when I said I had to drag him out of those."

Pepper chuckled, and Tony could hear shuffling. "Do you want me to buy bubble wrap, too?"

Tony glared at the wall. "Just hurry up, would you?"

"I'll be there in a few hours," she promised, and hung up.

Tony put the phone down and laid down on his stomach, facing Peter.

"Hey, Kiddo," he said. "This is okay, right? You don't mind living with your old man, do you?"

Peter giggled, reaching forward with his chubby fingers and gripping at Tony's facial hair.

"We'll be alright," Tony agreed.

* * *

At eight months, Peter's first word was 'Pepper.' Not 'Dada' or 'Daddy.'

Pepper was so excited she didn't put him down for two hours, peppering him with kisses and tickling his belly until his eyes swelled with tears.

Tony followed behind them the entire time, begging for Peter to say his name, and threatening Pepper with a deduction to her paycheck.

* * *

Peter took his first steps one day when Tony emerged from the lab, covered in grease and hyped up on coffee.

Peter had ran to his father, squealing happily. Tony claimed the mist in his eyes was from the dirty lab, but Pepper rolled her eyes and told him to enjoy the affection while it lasted.

* * *

Obadiah and Rhodey met Peter at the same time, and despite both of them knowing about Peter, meeting him was nothing compared to the stories.

The kid took up to them immediately, demanding attention and constantly begging to play games.

Uncle Rhodey and Uncle Obie found themselves visiting the Stark home a lot more often.

* * *

Peter first snuck into the lab when he was three, and if it weren't for JARVIS, he would have built himself a new toy.

As it was, Tony came charging down the stairs, and had to carefully explain to Peter why the lab was dangerous, and no, he he couldn't come down whenever he wanted, and yes, Tony would build him his own lab that weekend and help him build a toy car.

They also ended up building a robot and toy helicopter, but what Pepper didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

* * *

Peter's first day of school was an emotional train wreck.

Tony had to stay in the car, so as to not raise suspicion, and the school was informed of Peter's predicament without receiving too many details. They were also forced to sign a contract to keep their mouths shut, and Pepper walked Peter to his classroom, with the promise of ice cream afterwards.

Despite the morning being a rocky start, that afternoon when they picked Peter up, they had to drag him out.

"One more, Pepper!" Peter whined. "I want to build one more tower! Please?"

Tony bought every Lego set he could find, in hopes to help bribe Peter to actually come home after school.

* * *

Every night, from the time Peter first arrived, Tony would sit his son in his lap and read one story.

Peter would slowly start to read along, even at his young age, and Tony tried not to think of the days when their reading time would end.

For now, he would just be thankful for how things had turned out so far.


	3. Drowning

**There's some angst in this one, so beware.**

* * *

The last time Peter saw his father, he was wearing a day old suit and expensive sunglasses. He left with the reminder of homework, sleep, and lab safety rules. He promised not to be late to the science fair, something Peter wasn't sure of who was more excited for.

Peter would give up his inheritance, his life, if only to see even those stupid sunglasses at least one more time.

He locked himself in his room for three days until Pepper finally coaxed him into the kitchen to gorge himself on ice cream and hot chocolate.

It took another three days before Pepper, Happy, Uncle Obie, and Uncle Rhodey teamed up and forced him to go to school.

It wasn't easy, but it was the quickest road to healing. Moving on, living.

His grades were better than they'd ever been, and his science fair project gave him a small article in some science-y magazine that hardly anybody read anyway.

Peter drowned himself in school, as much as an eleven year old could, and used the last breath of air held in his cheeks to tinker in his dad's lab.

Pepper watched from a life boat, dragging him to bed when he grew too tired to keep himself afloat, and reeling him in to eat at least three times a day.

"Tony's heart would break if he saw you right now," she said one evening, watching him to make sure he finished the chicken nuggets and fries she picked up for him.

"Well, he isn't here right now, is he?" His voice was bland, and his face a mask.

Pepper blinked away the mist in her eyes and reached for his hand. "When's the last time you left the house for something other than school?" she asked. "What do your friends think?"

Peter didn't answer, instead choosing to look away and tear at one of the napkins.

"I want to move," he stated.

After weeks of deadly waves and terrifying skies, the sea was calm. The kitchen was silent, and Peter stopped breathing.

Pepper slowly withdrew her hand and stood. Neither one said a word as she began clearing the table, each action becoming more forceful, more shaky.

Peter didn't dare say a word. He knew his decision would be a shock, he knew he should have waited. But he wanted out. He couldn't stay in the same house he had once shared with his only family. He couldn't be surrounded by the dying memories, the false hopes.

"You would lose the lab," Pepper said, facing away from him and clutching at the countertop until her knuckles turned white.

"I know," Peter nodded.

"You would have to find somewhere to live, we'd have to talk to your dad's lawyers," she pressed. "Technically, you're supposed to be living with Obadiah. Would you move in with him? Change schools? How would you explain that?"

Peter shrugged. "I don't know."

Pepper was shaking, Peter could see it, and he forced himself to look away.

"I can't stay here, Pepper," he whispered. "Every time I turn around, there's some unfinished project, a pair of his sunglasses that I almost step on, one of those stupid awards being used as a paper weight." His fists were clenched, and his eyes stung. "I can't."

Pepper didn't turn to face him for a long while. Her knuckles were still white, her shoulders still shaking, and both of them seemed to be using this time to calm themselves down.

The sea was getting restless, and clouds were beginning to reform.

"I'll talk to Obadiah." The words were faint, a calming breeze before the hurricane, and Peter breathed the words in, and stored their strength for later, for when he was alone and in the eye of the storm.

"Thank you," he said, and stumbled his way to the lab.

Each machine, every 'toy' he and his father had ever worked on taunted him as he stepped in, and in an effort to quiet down the jabs, he turned on the stereo, cranking the volume until it hurt his ears. The sounds of AC/DC filled the space, his dad's favorite songs ending all distractions.

Pepper came down around ten thirty to tell him to go to bed.


	4. Homecoming

**I totally wrote and titled this before Civil War even came out so :/**

* * *

In the cave, the only thing that kept him going was the thought of Peter.

Originally, he had a little wallet sized picture from Peter's school, but Tony burned it before his captors had the chance to see it. As much as he missed and needed to see his son, in a cave and being threatened by terrorists was not how he imagined their reunion.

Eventually, as he worked on the stupid weapon that was demanded of him, details of his life began to fade. Pepper was just a name that brought fondness to his heart, Rhodey was a long lost brother, Obadiah was a ghost of a friend. Peter, however, remained absolute.

Tony remembered how they shared the same eyes, and love for science. Peter's hair was a lighter shade of brown, something he got from his mother, along with his humble and sometimes shy demeanor.

Tony ached to see his son, ached to make up for lost time.

So, the first thing he did after he returned from those three months of Hell was demand to see his son. No asking, no pleading, he made demands and threats, glaring at any official personnel that even hinted at making a stop that would delay him from seeing his child.

At one point, he was given a laptop, to 'catch up with the real world,' or whatever he liked. He resisted the urge to video call Peter, wanting their reunion to be personal.

Instead, he searched the web to make sure Peter's identity was still a secret, and to see if Peter Parker had made any headlines, even if only in the school paper.

He had, many times. First place in the science fair, awards for the science club, an article in some science magazine that Tony hadn't even head of. He swelled with pride, but at the same time, felt a pang of guilt. Guilt for not being there for his sons achievements, guilt for being the reason Peter had probably worked himself thin. Peter was too much like him.

When Tony stepped off the private jet, he marched straight up to Pepper, who was smiling like mad, and if he was seeing things correctly, she had tears in her eyes.

"Welcome home, Tony," she said, keeping a respectable distance away, but looking like she was fighting to do so.

"Pep," Tony nodded. "Where is he?"

Pepper smirked as she led him around the car where Happy was waiting.

"He's been busy cleaning up the place," Pepper told him. "Dusting, tidying up the lab. I don't think he's sat down since he saw the news."

Once in the car, Tony let the play boy demeanor drop. "What'd he do? Throw a party while I was gone?" he asked.

Pepper smiled sadly, and sighed as she buckled her seatbelt. "Peter hasn't been living at the mansion," she explained. "We didn't realize how messy the place could get with no one living there."

"He wasn't...? Did Obie take him in? But Peter was still going to his school. I checked the newspaper."

Pepper smiled, and grasped his hand tightly in hers for just a second. "You've come so far since she first showed up," she whispered, before clearing her throat. "Peter was afraid that the sudden move would 'disrupt his studies,' or so he says. He wanted away from... the reminders, but I don't think he could stomach the thought of just picking up and leaving. He's been living with me for the past month and a half."

Tony stared at the red head for several minutes before he grabbed her in a quick hug. "Thank you," he said, "thank you so much for everything you've done for him." He pulled back, searching his pockets for the checkbook that wasn't there. "I swear, I'll give you the bonus to end all bonuses, I'll buy you a mansion bigger than mine, I'll-"

"Tony," Pepper interrupted, "I did it because I wanted to. I don't want anything in return, other than to see you get your ass out of this car and go see your son."

His son. He was home, and his son was waiting for him.

Lights were on, but the house looked dead. The grass was freshly cut, but the hedges over grown, and Tony spared only a moment before he quickened his pace and rushed through the door.

"Welcome home, Sir," JARVIS' voice called, warm and familiar, and Tony barely processed it before he heard footsteps, loud and pounding against hardwood floor.

Tony rushed to meet them, and when he rounded a corner, there was Peter.

He was taller, if only by a couple inches and his hair had grown. He was much too thin, and the bags under his eyes were way too dark.

He wasn't the only one who went through hell, Tony realized, and his eleven year old son had been in it far too long.

"Peter," Tony whispered, falling to his knees.

Peter raced to him, jumping into his arms, and sobbing. "Daddy," he cried, "you're home."

"I'm home, Petey." With a start, Tony noticed that he was crying too, big, warm tears that stained his cheeks.

Pepper found them an hour later in the lab, Peter showing his dad the science fair project and all the other things he had worked on in his father's absence.

She tried to ignore the heart broken expression Tony wore every time Peter looked away.

Like father, like son, after all.


	5. Reveal

Little was known about Tony Stark's son. The world knew he had one, and in an interview five years back, Tony accidentally slipped they would be celebrating his tenth birthday.

But that was it. The boy kept out of the limelight, and by some miracle, the world didn't know what he looked like, or even his name. Tony always referred to him as "my kid" or "the kid," often followed by "The Genius."

So the media knew the young Stark was a boy, should be around fifteen or sixteen years old, and had inherited his mindset from his father. That was it.

Peter, of course, couldn't be happier with the arrangement. His father loved him, and sure, he came home drunk every once in a while, but he really was a great dad. He didn't know of any other kid at school who could get away with blowing up the lab every other month, and _man_ , was he glad Tony blew up the lab more than him.

And then, when he became Iron Man, Tony couldn't have been happier about his decision. Now that he was a world known superhero, he had more attempts on his life than ever.

The day SHIELD called him in, the Stark's had been temporarily living in New York while construction for Stark Tower was underway. Their original plan was to only visit the site on weekends, but Peter had fallen in love with the Big Apple, so they decided to stay for a bit.

The teen attended Midtown High, a science school that Peter loved and Tony envied. He had made quick friends with Mary Jane Watson and Harry Osborne (Tony wasn't too thrilled about Peter hanging with the kid of his competitor, but let it slide), and was crushing on Gwen Stacy, who was the top student at Midtown - only because Peter had only just arrived, of course.

It was a Saturday when Agent Coulsen had visited, and talked Tony into helping SHIELD with some top secret thing Peter wasn't supposed to know about. The teen had never been so upset that the tower held soundproof rooms.

Sunday night, Tony had suited up as Iron Man, and kissed Peter on the forehead before taking off into the sky.

Peter had stood on the balcony for an hour, long after the suit had been lost to the horizon. Pepper had to threaten to take away his lab privileges for him to go inside and finish his homework.

Monday went as expected; Flash, the school bully, stuffed him in the locker, and Peter resisted the urge to show off some moves his dad, Happy, and Natalie - Natasha - had taught him. Peter could take a hit, but some of the other kids couldn't say the same.

At lunch, Pete and his friends sat together in the corner of the cafeteria.

"I'm just saying, Peter, a lot of students think you could be Tony Stark's son," MJ pressed. "You show up around the same time construction on Stark Tower started, and you're one of the smartest kids in the entire school. It's a little suspicious, if you ask me."

"Oh, please, MJ," Harry chuckled. "You saw how he reacted to my entertainment system. Even you weren't that surprised when you first came over."

Actually, Peter had been surprised by how small the entertainment system was compared to his dad's, back in Malibu, but just shrugged.

"You know, Kevin started school around the same time I did, and Gwen is still way ahead of me in the grades department," Peter pointed out.

"Was that a compliment, Parker?"

Peter almost forgot to turn, having not yet grown used to being called by his middle name, despite all the years that had been his alias. But Gwen's voice had him at attention easily, and faced the blonde with a wide grin that he had gotten from his Play Boy father.

"It might be," he shrugged.

Gwen rolled her eyes with a smile, and pulled out her phone, promptly taking a seat next to him. "Did you hear about what happened over in Germany earlier?" she asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, she flipped her phone around for Peter to see the video footage. "Captain America _and_ Iron Man showed up to take in some guy that had people on their knees bowing down to him."

Peter did know. His dad had called in passing time earlier to give him a quick rundown of the situation.

"What's the old school soldier doing working with the high tech robot?" Peter asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What if it's something like that Obadiah incident a while back?" MJ asked. "What if it's worse?"

Peter winced at the mention of his late 'Uncle Obie' but tried to play it off as worry.

"Oh please," Harry scoffed. "Dad says Stark is a huge phony. Bad guys don't just pop up out of nowhere. Stark probably built them all. And his son? It wouldn't surprise me if that was a ruse, too."

"Careful, Harry," Peter teased. "If Stark's kid hears you, you could have Iron Man on your doorstep."

A tator tot was thrown at his head, and he laughed.

"Will you guys pay attention?" Gwen asked. "My dad's been watching this superhero stuff like the stock market. He thinks something big is about to happen."

Peter _knew_ something big was about to happen - SHIELD agents never just popped in to say hello. But he couldn't say anything, especially to the Chief of Police's daughter. Captain Stacy would evacuate the entire school and ship the students off to Kansas if he thought his daughter would be in danger.

"First with Iron Man, then that weird guy in New Mexico... Captain America hasn't done anything other than wake up from the ice, and now this thing in Germany...," Gwen sighed, rested her chin in her palm. "It kind of seems like the world is ending, you know?"

"It kind of seems like the opposite, to me," Peter shrugged. "All these superheroes popping up? It kind of makes you wonder what the next guy will be - tights or a cape?"

"Tights," Harry laughed. "My money is _so_ on tights."

Peter laughed along, while the girls rolled their eyes.

"We'll see who's laughing when the world is ending," Gwen huffed, but made no move to leave Peter's side.

The young Stark smiled softly at that, and decided to take Happy's advice - " _Just_ go _for_ _it_ , _Kid_."

* * *

It turns out, no one was laughing when the world was ending. Peter, getting his humor from his father, but ability to think things through from what he assumed was his mother (or Pepper - but then again, was there a difference?), was tempted to ask Gwen where her humor was.

But when the crappy TV was turned on to show the news, Peter found himself struggling for breath. Midtown was far enough away from the city, that no one was really worried for the students safety. Besides, it wasn't like anyone could really handle an evacuation right now.

Mrs. Tuft, Peter's Pre-Calc teacher was struggling to keep up her calm facade. A couple girls were clutching to each other in the front, watching with wide eyes, and desperately trying to stop their tears. The jocks, even Flash, were dead silent, for once sitting still and paying attention. Gwen sat in the desk in front of Peter, texting her mother and brothers nonstop, searching for any word on her father who was helping as many civilians as he could. He occasionally appeared on screen, always seeming unharmed, and standing strong. In those short seconds, Gwen would breathe, and allow herself to calm down for a few seconds.

Harry and MJ were in World History, but from the texts Peter received, they were both shaken up.

Peter himself was texting Pepper, Happy and Uncle Rhodey. He knew they only knew as much as he did, but their words were more for comfort than anything. Peter desperately wanted to call his father, but didn't want to risk distracting Iron Man in the middle of the battle.

When the Hulk showed up, the class became hopeful. They watched as the green monster grew, and slammed his fist into the millipede like alien, and while his classmates cheered as Iron Man finished it off, Peter gripped his desk like a lifeline.

The six heroes stood back to back, forming a circle, and again, the class cheered. Peter wanted to scream at them to quiet down, but held his tongue. And then his fears came to life as the black hole above New York opened wider, and even more of the sickly aliens came pouring out.

The cameras were too far away, that they could hardly make out the faces, let along hear, but Iron Man and Robin Hood took off first, followed by the guy with a hammer, and then the Hulk was racing away, smashing anything that moved.

" _The heroes seem to have a plan_ ," the anchorman was saying, " _I hope it's a good one, Jen, because this army does not look like it's letting up._ "

Peter's eyes were glued to the screen, only glancing away when his phone vibrated in his hand with a new message. When his phone actually started to ring, his classmates sent him glares, but he ignored them - his phone had a special setting, to ring only when his dad was calling. He didn't hesitate to answer, jumping from his seat and retreating to the back of the classroom so as to not disturb anyone.

"Dad," he sighed as soon as his thumb hit the green button.

" _Hey, Pete_ ," Tony greeted, his voice sounding strained and slightly mechanic. " _Did you see me on the news? Did they get my good side?"_

"Dad, this is serious," Peter growled. "You're using your 'I'm-doing-something-stupid' voice. Don't do something stupid."

" _Petey, I can't believe you would say that to me,_ " his dad chuckled.

Peter gazed at the TV for a bit, until a shining red and bronze figure appeared holding a nuke.

"Dad," he whispered. Peter was never one to show too much affection - it ran in the family, and the only time affection was shown between the Stark men was when they knew they were alone. Peter standing in a classroom surrounded by his classmates and Tony being in the middle of a battle wasn't their ideal arrangement. "Dad... you can't just... I mean, you... We were going to check out that new Expo next month. You said you would show me how you created JARVIS, the little tricks that you didn't even put into files. We already have tickets for the baseball game, you-"

" _Peter_ ," Tony interrupted. " _Please don't watch the news for just a second. Come on, kid, listen to me."_

Peter focused on getting his breathing under control. So he wouldn't be tempted, he turned away from the TV. "I'm listening," he said softly.

 _"Good. Now, Pete, I know I don't say it enough, but I love you,_ " Tony said. _"And I admit, the day your mom first showed up with you in a wad of blankets, I was scared as hell, but that day has become the best damn day of my life, you hear me?"_

"Dad-"

 _"I'm not done yet_ ," Tony stated, and continued as if he had never stopped. _"I want you to know that I kept you from the press because I didn't want you growing up being watched like a science experiment. Don't ever think it was because I didn't want them to know about you - hell, did you see my last interview? I practically bragged about you for an hour straight - and when I made the suit, I didn't want any enemies getting a hold of you and doing something I couldn't reverse. I love you, Son."_

Peter waited a moment, to see if his father would continue, and when he didn't, Peter felt a tear slide down his cheek. "I love you too, Dad," he whispered. "And I was never mad about you hiding me from the spotlight. I don't care, I never did care, but please, don't do what I think you're about to do."

 _"You're not supposed to be watching the news, Petey."_

Peter hadn't even realized he turned around too watch the coverage. "Don't do it. Please."

 _"Pepper's going to take good care of you, and so is Rhodey. Happy will be there for you, too - you got 'em wrapped around your finger so tight, they're stuck."_

"That's not fair. They're not you."

On screen, Iron Man disappeared into the black hole. Over the phone, Tony Stark's voice crackled as he lost signal.

 _"I l-ve you, P-ter."_

Peter nearly dropped his phone, and barely made it to his chair before he collapsed. Gwen was giving him worried looks, but didn't move from her seat. She was staring at her phone with a heartbroken expression.

Peter held his breath as the alien army came to a shuddering halt, dropping like flies minutes after Iron Man had slipped into the portal.

"Come on," Peter whispered. " _Please_ , come on."

If Gwen thought his behavior was odd, she didn't say anything.

The seconds ticked by agonizingly slow. The room was quiet, and even the anchorman was silent.

The portal began to close. Peter's breath caught in his throat, and he immediately had the phone back to his ear, desperately trying to call his father. All he got was a ladies voice apologizing for the lack of service.

At the last possible second, something came flying through the closing space, and while his classmates cheered at Iron Mans return, Peter allowed himself to breathe.

"He's not slowing down," he realized. If Tony wasn't slowing down, that meant he was unconscious. JARVIS must have been offline, otherwise, the suit would have acted on its own. His dad was down, and Peter had no idea of the extent of the possible injuries.

He waited until after the Hulk caught Tony mid-fall, and then he was sending a text to Happy and on his feet, heading towards the door.

"Mr. Parker-"

"My dad is down there," Peter snapped, not turning to face his teacher. "No offense, but I really don't care about your class right now."

He made it to the door, before he turned back around. "Gwen?" he called. "Your dad's kind of been in the fray, too. You coming?"

The blonde didn't hesitate, and before they made it to the main doors, she was dragging him.

"How do you plan on getting us to the scene?" she finally asked. "It's not like you drive to school. Unless you plan on hot wiring one, which I'm _totally_ okay with."

"I'm having one dropped off," Peter said, almost shyly.

As if on cue, a shiny, red McLaren came to a screeching stop at the curb. It wasn't the fastest car they owned, but Peter figured Happy probably grabbed the first set of keys he found.

The body guard stepped out of the car as Peter and Gwen approached the curb, and the keys were tossed to the young Stark.

"You go ahead," Happy said. "The boss will want to see you before he sees me."

"Happy-"

"Pepper's stopping by with the chopper," he interrupted. "Hell, we might beat you, kid, if you don't get going."

Peter nodded, and motioned for Gwen to get in. "I'll text you and Pepper as soon as I see him."

"You better, or you aren't getting a ride for a month."

Despite himself, Peter managed a smile, and climbed into the drivers seat.

Gwen was sitting next to him, gazing at the car in wonder. "I thought you drove your dad's minivan."

The car roared to life, and Peter smirked. "That thing?" he asked. "That was just something I threw together one night over Christmas break."

"What do you mean-?"

The car raced away from the school, hitting its maximum speed in Peter's urge to reach his father.

"Look, the only reason I'm telling you this before Harry or MJ is because your dad is in the middle of this battle. And if you tell anyone, I'll deny it in any court." Peter slowed down enough to make a turn, only to slam his foot back on the gas pedal. "The rumors going around that Tony Starks son attending Midtown Science? True. Nice to meet you, I'm Peter Stark."

Even Peter winced at that. He was _so_ Tony's kid.

Gwen was silent, and the brunette glanced to his right to make sure the girl hasn't jumped out of the car without him realizing.

"You... You're Tony Starks kid," she repeated. "But MJ said she and Harry went to your apartment for a movie night."

"The apartment is technically mine - er, my dad's," he explained. "We got it for when the construction was to loud, or if I needed it to keep my cover."

"Wait, but I'm still the top student at Midtown. Does that mean I'm smarter than Tony Stark's son?"

Peter slammed on the breaks, partly because of Gwen's comment, and partly because the mass destruction and hoards of people prevented him from continuing at his previous speed.

"Really?" he asked. " _That's_ what you focus on?"

The blonde shrugged before clamoring out of the car. Peter followed, and soon, the two teenagers were among thousands of civilians wandering the ruins.

Eventually, a cop spotted them and recognized Gwen brie taking them to the make shift press conference on the steps of the destroyed library.

Captain Stacy was speaking in front of a couple cameras and one reporter, while the heroes - the Avengers, as the Capitan referred to them as - stood behind him. The archer and Nata- Natasha were gone, and from the distant roars, it was probably safe to say they were taking care of the Hulk.

The guy with the hammer (Thor, Captain Stacy called him) stood like he was bored, while Captain America and Iron Man were tense, like they still expected a fight. Except Tony's face guard was up, and he looked more battered and bruised than the time he first started working on the suit taking joy rides.

Moments after the two teenagers arrived, Captain Stacy's eyes landed on Gwen, and he finished his speech quickly, before handing the Mic to Tony.

The billionaire stood tall and proud as he relayed the story of Loki attempting to take over. Peter listened intently, knowing he would get more facts and details later, but still wanting to know the story now.

As his father spoke, Peter remembered his promise to Happy, and quickly typed out a message, keeping an ear out for his father.

"And now that this whole alien thing is over with, I'm going to head out to get some Shawarma," Tony was saying. "Anyone even know what that is? Maybe I'll bring some home to-"

Peter glanced up as his father suddenly stopped talking, and was startled to see that the man was staring right back.

"Peter," he gasped, and the teen froze.

Cameras and people swiveled to face him, and before he could protest, his dad was pushing through the crowd, only to wrap his son into a tight embrace. Peter was shocked, but gladly returned the hug.

"Dad," he whispered. "Are you okay? I-I saw what happened, and thought you weren't coming back..."

"I told you to never doubt your old man," Tony laughed, and for the first time, seemed to realize the flashing cameras and gaping stares. "Pepper is going to kill me for revealing you like this."

Peter didn't care, and showed as much in the way he tightened his grip on his father, terrified that he would suddenly fly back through the portal.

"So, Pete," his dad smirked, "want to join the Avengers to get some Shawarma?"

"What is that?" he asked, finally pulling away.

"No idea," Tony shrugged. "Let's go."

As his dad dragged him towards his team, apparently forgetting his previous job of giving a statement, Peter glanced back at the police officers, reporters, and civilians. Gwen Stacy stood next to her own father, giving him a small smile.

Peter grinned back and gave a cocky wave. He _was_ the son of Tony Stark, after all.

And now, the world knew.


	6. Hallways

**The trailer for Spider-Man: Homecoming was so good, and I don't care what anybody has to say about it. Parental Figure Tony is back, and has given me the inspiration needed for this story. Also, I told you updates would be in a weird order, so in case you didn't notice, this takes place after Peter's reveal, before he gets bitten.**

* * *

The entire country had pretty much been on lock down for the past three days, and finally, the schools had decided to open their doors again.

The Avengers were finishing things up for SHEILD, and would be sending Loki and Thor back to Asgard the following weekend. For now, the villain was in a holding cell, and what was left of Stark Tower played hotel for Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and the Hulk.

Honestly, when did this become Peter's life?

At first, Peter didn't think anything of it when his alarm clock went off. He got ready and packed his backpack, then headed down to get breakfast.

When he was greeted by Captain Freaking America making pancakes, he realized that the day wasn't going to be as normal as he'd hoped.

"Good morning, Peter," Steve greeted, and Peter smiled.

"Morning, Cap," he replied. "Where's my dad?"

Steve winced. "Pepper may or may not be trying to stop him assigning a body guard to you for today."

Peter groaned. "If that's the case, then I should probably leave before he sticks a tracker on me. See ya, Cap."

The super soldier looked like he wanted to stop him, but Peter was out of the kitchen and pressing the button for the elevator before he could open his mouth.

He sneaked out of the tower easily, using the disguise of sunglasses and a beanie, and once he was out of sight of the paparazzi, he hopped on his skateboard.

He made it to school easily enough, and when he made it to the front doors, he kicked up his board to carry it, so he wouldn't get scolded by the cranky vice principal. Peter stepped inside, tugging off his beanie and sunglasses as he went. Like any other day, he made a beeline for his locker, where he knew Harry, MJ, and sometimes Gwen would be waiting.

It was quiet.

Cautiously, Peter looked around at the other students, who stared back at him. Some people whispered amongst themselves while others simply _stared_ , not even bothering to be descreet about it

Peter cleared his throat, and suddenly people jerked away as if they had been slapped. Hushed coversations filled the air, and Peter just knew that the day was going to seriously suck. Maybe he should have waited to see his dad before left. A bodyguard was too much, but maybe his dad would have let him stay home a couple of more days.

"Peter!"

The brunet jerked to stop, and looked to see Gwen marching down the hall. Her call had brought attention back to Peter, but Gwen didn't seem to notice or care.

She didn't even stop when she reached Peter, just looped her arm through his and continued down the hall.

"I tried calling you," she said, speaking normally, but with the school hallway so silent, it felt like she had yelled. "Twice, actually. And Harry and MJ said they couldn't get ahold of you, either."

Peter winced. "Yeah, um, after Loki... SHIELD kind of took my stuff. They didn't want- I mean, uh, it's classified. I think." His gaze shifted, as if checking to make sure no one was eavesdropping; which was ridiculous because _everyone_ was eavesdropping. "Anyway, it's just been really crazy back home."

Gwen hummed.

"Parker!"

He almost didn't turn around. Parker, Stark, both names were swimming around in his head, and Peter felt dizzy. But everyone around him froze, and it felt as if the people around him had stopped breathing.

"Parker!" Flash called again, and Peter gave a deep sigh before he turned to face the bully.

"What do you want, Flash?" he asked. "And can it wait? I'm really not in the mood."

Flash's face was red as he growled. "I don't care what you're in the mood for, Parker. Or is it _Stark_? You know, you got some nerve showing up here like you own the place."

Peter didn't bother responding to that. Instead, he tried turning away, but Flash's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Is it even safe for you be here, around us?" Flash demanded. "That's why your dad kept you secret, right? Should we expect Iron Man to fly in here and announce another alien invasion?"

"Well, he didn't fly in here and warn us last time, did he?" Peter asked, ignoring the fact that he kind of _did_ have a warning. Just... through the phone. "Look, I know you're probably weirded out or whatever, but nothing's changed, all right? I'm just going by a different last name."

Flash clenched his fist, and Gwen quickly stepped in.

"Buzz off, Flash," she said, crossing her arms. "You and the entire school need to get over this little existential crisis of yours, and move on."

The halls were quiet again, and Gwen didn't hesitate to grab Peter's arm and drag him the rest of the way to his locker.

"So," Peter started, lowering his voice, "you really don't mind that- that- well, you know."

"I'm a little annoyed," she confessed. "But I know we aren't close enough to be considered 'best friends' or whatever you want to call it."

"But-"

"That being said," the blonde continued, "MJ and Harry are pretty pissed."

Peter groaned. "I can imagine. I've spent the last three days trying to come up with a decent apology."

"How's that going for you?" Gwen smirked. She nodded forward, and Peter followed her gaze.

Up ahead, the two friends in question were huddled together. Harry happened to glance up first, and when the two boys made eye contact, Harry's eyes widened while Peter's face paled.

"Dude," he called, causing MJ to look over as well, "you have a lot of explaining to do."

Peter winced, "Uh, yeah... about that. Surprise?"

Blank stares.

"Surprise?" MJ demanded. "We had to found out from the news that our best friend is the son of Tony Stark, of-of Iron Man! And all you have to say is surprise?"

"Uh... yes?"

"Well, okay then," Harry shrugged, and draped an arm around Peter. "We should head to class before we're late. Also, I totally made a bet with that Jason kid in our English class on whether or not you would show up today or not."

"You did what?" Gwen asked, as MJ hit his arm.

"Ow, what?" Harry defended. "I was just showing my faith in my best friend, right, Pete?"

Peter was so relieved, he laughed. He let Harry lead him to class, and suddenly, the halls didn't seem so quiet anymore. People still stared, and whispered, but he had his friends. He could handle whatever high school threw at him.


	7. Taken

**This is set after Reveal and Hallways, in case this chapter shows up funny. Spider-Man Homecoming was so good, and I have been blessed with inspiration by the Marvel gods. A lot of people seem to like Peter and Harry's friendship, so have more!**

 **WARNING: Kidnapping, guns (they aren't used, just waved around and being used to threaten people)**

* * *

"It's been a month," Peter complained. "You'd think people would leave me alone and _stop staring._ "

The group of freshman girls blushed and scurried up the steps leading into the school, and Peter rolled his eyes. Beside him, MJ elbowed him in the ribs.

"Be nice," she chastised. "It's not their fault you hid your identity from the whole school."

"Just count yourself lucky staring is the only thing they're doing," Harry laughed. "You could have Flash shoving you into lockers again."

"Careful, or he will," MJ advised, side eyeing the jock, who stood a little ways away, talking with some other guys on the football team before school started.

"I wouldn't worry about it," Harry shrugged. "I doubt Flash wants to get on Iron Man's bad side."

"Dude, will you stop?" Peter asked. "It's still me, I just have a different last name than you originally thought."

"Sorry, Pete." And he really did look like he meant it. "You really caught us by surprise, though. You know my dad is trying to use me to uncover Stark secrets, now that my best friend is his competitor's kid?"

"Funny," Peter snorted. "Sounds like what my dad has been doing ever since I met you."

"Do you realize how complicated our bro nights just got?"

MJ laughed at them, and pushed at both of their backs. "Come on, losers. Gwen is supposed to meet us at the lockers before classes start, so we better hurry."

Before Peter could respond, screeching tires caught the attention of every student outside. Three black SUVs slammed to a stop in front of the school, one going as far as jumping the curb.

"What the hell?" Peter asked no one in particular as four figures dressed in black jumped out the back of the nearest vehicle. Two of them held guns. "Shit," he gasped, and turned to usher MJ and Harry to safety. Or, in this case, they tucked themselves behind the stairs leading to the main doors. Around them, the other students were beginning to panic as well.

"What's going on?" MJ asked. "Who are those guys, what-?"

"Stark!" Someone else had emerged from the SUV, and held a megaphone to his lips. "You can either come quietly, or we start shooting."

Peter froze. Of course. Of course, something like this would happen. This was why he had kept his identity secret for so long. This was why his dad wanted to glue a bodyguard to his side. Tony had only been expecting the worst ever since he accidently revealed himself.

"Peter," MJ whispered, when she noticed he was no longer moving. "Peter, what are you doing?"

Wasn't it obvious?

"I have to go with them."

" _What_?" Harry demanded. "No, you don't. Peter, those guys could _kill_ you."

"It's either me, or everyone else here," Peter pointed out.

"You aren't your dad, Peter," MJ reminded him. "It's not your job to save everyone. Just call Mr. Stark, or, or someone, but do not-"

"Found you." A hand landed on his shoulder, and all three of them paled. The man behind Peter was unarmed, but he could easily call over one of his partners who did have a weapon. "And what do we have here? A Stark and an Osborne?" He laughed, and waved towards the others. "Hey, boss! What do we do with two billionaire kids?"

Peter was shoved forward, away from MJ, who looked torn between crying and attacking the guys. Their attacker dragged the two boys over to the SUV, where a woman had her arm propped on the hood. She looked them up and down, and nodded.

"Two is better than one," she said, and jabbed her thumb towards the back of the vehicle. "Let's go before any cops or heroes show up." She sneered the words, and her casual demeanor sent chills down Peter's spine.

"We'll be okay," Peter whispered to Harry as they were shoved into the back. The SUV rumbled to life, and in no time, they were peeling off down the street. "If it's something they want, they can't hurt us. Like you said, no one wants to get on Iron Man's bad side."

Harry glared at him. "Dude, if you had just listened to MJ and me, we would still be safe at the school. How are you not freaking out?"

"Quiet," one of the guys snapped, and the boys fell silent.

In truth, Peter _was_ freaking the hell out. He had never been in this position before. Peter Parker was your everyday nerd, with no connections and no unwanted attention, except for the occasional bully. Peter Stark... was not. In fact, the only attention he got these days was unwanted. His teachers treated him like was next in line for a nobel prize, his bullies walked on glass around him, and even his friends had yet to figure out how to act around him now that they knew who he really was. The press had followed him around for a solid two weeks after his reveal, and after one nasty encounter with a photographer, his dad had-

His dad had given him a direct link to JARVIS, and a way to summon an immediate rescue.

The gears in his head turned, while he fiddled with his Stark Watch behind his back. Voice activated, how could he get ahold of anyone without raising suspicion?

Well; he was Tony Stark's kid. And Tony was a talker.

"So, how long have you guys been planning this?" he asked. "Not to judge you guys or anything, but this seems like a rushed job. But, what do I know, right? This is my first time being kidnapped, after all. Congratulations, by the way, on being the first."

" _Peter_ ," Harry hissed, eyes wide and looking like he wanted to kick him.

Peter ignored him. "You know we still have our phones, right?" he continued. "I mean, all I would have to do is _contact JARVIS_ and my dad could totally pinpoint my location. You know he's Iron Man, right? The guy who helped save the world a month ago? The one that literally flew into a black hole? Did you really think kidnapping his son was a smart idea?" The watch silently buzzed against his wrist, confirming his command, and Peter sighed in relief.

"Peter, shut up," Harry warned.

"I'd listen to your friend, Stark," the lady in charge advised from the passenger seat. "I only have so much patience, and you're really testing it."

"Right, right, I get that." Peter nodded, and stayed silent for all of two seconds. "Anyway, what was the plan, really? Holding us for ransom? Stark Industry and OsCorp secrets? Come on, tell me."

"SHIELD secrets, actually," the lady revealed, glancing back at him briefly. "If anyone's going to spill something, it'd be the brat living with two of the Avengers. Don't you agree?"

That... okay, yeah, that made sense. Officially, Peter didn't know anything about SHIELD or the Avengers, other than what Agents Coulson and Hill had briefed him on. Unofficially... well, his dad liked to share work stories with him. A lot.

"What makes you think I know anything?" he asked. "Like you said, I'm just a kid."

"The quiver in your voice, for one," the lady smirked. "Now, Mr. Stark-"

The driver slammed on the breaks, causing Peter and Harry to fall out of their seats and land on the floor. Their kidnappers cursed around them, and before he knew it, Peter was being dragged out of the car by his shirt collar. Ahead, in the middle of the road and blocking traffic, his dad stood tall in his bright and shining armor. The face mask was down, and the glowing eyes of the suit looked as if they were trying to shoot lasers.

The relief that flooded him quickly disappeared when a gun was pressed to the side of his head. He could feel his heartbeat in his chest, could hear the blood pounding in his ears. He grit his teeth, and urged himself to stand firm.

To his left, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Harry was in the same position as him. All three SUVs had stopped, and there had to be a dozen people who looked as if they were actually going to go against Iron Man.

"Let the kids go," his dad growled, his voice coming out distorted and mechanical.

"Move aside, Stark," the leader said. "We just need to borrow the kids for a few hours, then you can have them back."

"Dad," Peter called, trying hard to not sound like he was on the verge of crying. But he was scared. He hadn't been this scared since his dad had flown into a blackhole.

His dad's faceplate slid up, and Tony's eyes were soft. "It's alright, Peter. You'll be okay. I promise."

"Leave, Mr. Stark," the lady demanded.

The faceplate went down. "If you think I'm letting you leave with my son and his best friend, then you have another thing coming, lady."

She squared her shoulders, and raised a hand to motion towards her henchmen. Peter saw movement on the suits shoulders, and he had studied the suit enough to know exactly what was about to happen.

"Don't move," Peter whispered, and Harry blinked.

"What?"

There was a hiss as the suit fired, and all twelve kidnappers collapsed to the ground. When Peter looked, he could see they were still breathing, so his Dad must have used the tranquilizers. He didn't stick around to check.

He and Harry wasted no time in scurrying away from the motionless forms on the ground, and Tony was just stepping out of the suit when Peter reached him. He tackled his father into a hug, and buried his face in his shoulder.

His dad only allowed him a few seconds, before he pulled back and started checking him for injuries. Tony's hands felt around his head for any bumps or bruises before reaching over to check Harry as well. As soon as he was satisfied that neither boy was hurt, he pulled Peter back into his embrace.

"This is why I wanted the bodyguard," he said, his voice shaking. "Jesus, kid, you scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry," he mumbled, clinging tighter to his father.

"Harry, your dad should be here in just a minute," Tony assured. "I called him as soon as I got your guys' location."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, but he looked like he would pass out before his dad arrived. Tony helped him sit down, before turning back to Peter.

"Pete, please reconsider the bodyguard," he begged, but only received a flat stare.

"Dad, we're fine. We were only gone ten minutes before you got here, remember?" He fiddled with his watch. "At least this thing came in handy, right?"

Tony sighed, and his shoulders went slack. "I'm going to have to start dying my hair. All this gray? Your fault."

"Sorry," he said again.

"You aren't leaving my sight for three days."

"Understandable," Peter shrugged.

"I'm considering homeschooling you."

"No, you aren't," Peter said knowingly.

"No, I'm not," his dad agreed.

Except he kind of really was.


	8. Bitten

**There will be at least two updates between this and Reveal, so be on the look out :)**

* * *

Since his big reveal to the world, it seemed as if his father had dedicated himself to making up for lost time.

Usually, Peter didn't mind. He was proud when his father was able to make it to the science fair without having to worry about security, and ecstatic when he could finally introduce his dad to his friends.

However, this... this, he could do without.

Apparently, making up for lost time also meant Tony had missed out on embarrassing his son, and he was determined to make up for it.

"Dad, really," Peter insisted. "We're just wandering around OsCorp for, like, two hours. You don't need to come."

Tony smirked and ruffled his sons hair. "Come on, Pete. I've never been on one of your field trips before. Besides, this is a chance to check out the competition without being kicked out." He gave Peter puppy eyes, but the teenager only huffed.

"Please, Dad? Don't you and the others have some kind of mission or something?"

Tony shook his head, and ushered his son out the door. "You can't talk me out of it, Petey. Next week, we're going on a field trip. Just you, me, and your whole class."

Peter didn't care what the world thought. Iron Man was pure evil.

/

"Psst."

Peter winced. Beside him, Gwen bit get lip.

"Psst. Peter."

MJ sighed, sending him a sympathetic look, while Harry snickered.

"Peter," his dad whispered again, and the teen glared.

"What?" he snapped, voice low enough so that his teacher or the tour guide couldn't hear him.

"How much longer until we can go home?" Tony asked. "I'm bored."

"Are you serious?" Peter gaped. "You're the one that wanted to come. We've only been here fifteen minutes."

The teacher cleared her throat and Peter gave her sheepish look before glaring at his father. Harry was fighting to hide his laughter, and Gwen wasn't even trying to hide her smirk. Peter felt betrayed.

"When you said your class was taking a tour of the OsCorp building, I thought it would be behind the scenes, you know, a look at Osborne's newest stuff."

"You realize you just told your rivals son that you planned on spying on the dude, right?"

"Hey, no worries," Harry shrugged. "Dad tried to bug me one time when we hung out at your place."

"Ah-ha!" Tony shouted, and everyone around them jumped and stared.

"Oh, god," Peter whined. "I think I liked it better when we pretended we didn't know each other."

While his dad apologized, Gwen put her hand on his shoulder. "I think it's sweet," she said. "He's just trying to show he cares"

"No," Peter scoffed. "He shows he cares by closing down the labs every Saturday night so we can have them all to ourselves and blow up as much stuff as we can. This is him embarrassing me. On purpose."

"You gotta be kidding me," Harry squeaked.

"I'm serious," Peter insisted. "He's making up for all the times he's missed."

"No, not that." Harry shook his head and pointed. "My dad just walked in."

Peter groaned. "Right, because this day wasn't bad enough all ready."

Peter and Harry both made their way to the back of the group as their fathers strode towards each other, a fake smile plastered on both of their faces. The air seemed to flee the room as the two men shook hands.

"Mr. Osborne," Tony greeted. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Well, this is my company," Norman Osborne said, raising an eyebrow. "If anyone should be surprised, it should be me."

Peter foolishly hoped that would be the end of it. He prayed that Mr. Osborne would be called away, or that his dad would get a mission alert from SHIELD.

As was his luck, none of that happened. Instead, Mr. Osborne himself decided to lead the class for the rest of the tour, and Tony walked at the front of his group, asking pointless questions and bragging about his own company.

Their sons trudged behind the class, complaining to each other and feeling sorry for themselves.

Whether Tony finally struck a nerve, or Osborne had planned it all along, the class was allowed into a lesser security biotech lab. While the two adults did their best to outsmart the other, the class was given free reign so long as they didn't mess with any of the test subjects or disturb the lab technicians.

Peter and Harry sulked in a back corner while Gwen and MJ looked at the different glass cages.

"Twenty bucks says my dad brings Iron Man into it first," Peter griped.

"Twenty-five says he actually brings the suit," Harry offered.

Peter tilted his head. Sure, his dad was proud, but he wasn't proud enough to bring a weapon into a building full of teenagers. Besides, Captain Rogers would find out about it.

"You're on."

"Hey, Harry," Gwen called. "This cage is empty."

"I wouldn't worry about it," Harry shrugged. "The scientists take the test subjects to different locations all the time."

Behind them, Tony brought up Iron Man.

Harry sighed, and slipped a twenty into Peter's hands.

"But the cover looks like it was pushed aside," MJ pointed out. "Are you sure all the animals are accounted for?"

"Who knows?" Harry shrugged. "If it's missing, they'll figure it out. Besides, it really is probably nothing. As much as my dad wants to rial up Mr. Stark, he wouldn't bring the class into an unsafe lab."

Something tickled Peter's neck and he shivered. "I dunno, man," he said. "They're really going at it."

The four teens watched as the two men stood head to head. Their teacher stood next to the arguing dou with nervous eyes and wringing fingers.

"Come on," Harry huffed, "we might as well step in." He led the way, and Peter took a moment to prepare himself.

Something bit him.

He winced and reached behind him, on the back of his neck, and could feel the raised skin. His fingers brushed over a thread, and he yanked it. It hurt when he did, and when he brought it into view he saw it wasn't a thread. It was a web, with a decent sized spider hanging off the end. It wasn't anything he recognized. It was blue and red, but had no distinguishable markings.

Grimacing, he dropped it and took a step towards his dad. He ignored the wave of dizziness and nausea for now, not wanting to bring it up in front of so many people. He'd mention to Bruce or his dad later that night.

He took another step forward, and he saw white. It cleared quickly, and with a defeated sigh, he turned around and picked the spider back up, slipping it into his bag.

He might as well bring it home to the labs.


	9. Side Effects pt 1

**This story is getting more attention than I ever imagined, holy crap.**

* * *

" _Young Sir_."

"Yeah, JARVIS?"

" _I'm calling your father_."

Peter's eyes widened, and he dropped from the ceiling, landing on the floor with a soft _thud_. "What? Why?"

JARVIS didn't answer, and Peter could feel the judgement wafting over him in waves.

"Okay, okay, dumb question," he relented. "But you can't. I mean- he's on a business trip with SHIELD."

" _Your father has made it quite clear that if it regards your safety, he could and_ should _be contacted_."

"How does this regard my safety? This is perfectly safe," Peter argued.

" _Young Sir_ ," JARVIS started, sounding exasperated, " _you fell from the ceiling_."

And, well, he couldn't argue with that.

"Don't call him," Peter begged. "Let me do some research, run some tests. I don't want him to worry while he's supposed to be doing super secret hero stuff."

" _And just what kind of research and tests do you plan on conducting?_ " JARVIS asked.

"You know," Peter stuttered, "the... scientific kind."

" _Honestly, Young Sir, I expected more from you._ "

"Alright, JARVIS, I get enough sass from Dad, I don't need it from you, too," Peter said, sending a glare to the ceiling. "Look, I promise I'll tell Dad after he gets back. Just... give me until then. Give me some time to process this. Please?"

There was a pause. " _Your father will return in two days unless he sends word saying otherwise. You have until then._ "

Peter sighed. "Thank you, JARVIS."

He grabbed the petri dish that held the strange spider that bit him, and made his way to the labs. He had two days. That was plenty of time for him to figure out what had happened to him.

/

Peter didn't do much research.

After climbing all over the tower and experimenting with his new reflexes and newfound strength, Peter found himself doodling in a notebook.

Before he knew it, he had designed a suit, and was messing around with the idea of creating some kind of web-like substance.

" _Your father will not approve_ ," JARVIS stated, and Peter rolled his eyes.

"Come on, JARVIS, he'll love it. We can take down bad guys together, and go on missions." Peter spun on the stool he was sitting on and tapped the design for the web fluid. "It'll be like... father/son time times ten."

" _I wouldn't get your hopes up, Young Sir,"_ JARVIS warned.

Peter huffed. "He'll at least like the idea of designing the web fluid together. He can never resist science."

" _Your father will be returning in fifteen minutes,_ " JARVIS announced. " _I hope you didn't forget your promise, Young Sir_."

With a sigh, Peter gathered his notebook and pencils and left the labs to go wait on the fifth floor, where he knew his dad and Dr. Banner would stop before going their separate ways.

He didn't wait long, and as soon as the elevator door opened, he was greeted by his dad arguing with someone one the phone.

"-Bird Brain, listen," Tony was saying, "just let me have your bow for one - no, two hours. I promise I won't break it again." Clint, then.

The archer must have made some snarky remark, because his dad rolled his eyes before hanging up without another word.

He spotted Peter and grinned before walking over, seeming to forget about his fellow 'science bro.' "Petey!" he shouted. "What's up?"

Peter felt his heart race a little, and choked on his words. "Oh, uh, you know," he shrugged. "Not much. Want to hang out?"

Tony beamed. "Sure, kid." Despite his casual words, his excitement was clear in his voice and facial expression.

Peter didn't blame him. Being able to venture out of the tower without disguises was still a strange and exciting experience.

"JARVIS, how's my schedule?" Tony asked, and Peter paled.

" _Actually, Sir, I'm afraid the young sir has a previous engagement_ ," the AI reported.

"No I don't," Peter argued. "I cancelled it."

"Awe, Pete, cancelling plans just to hang with your old man?" Tony teased.

" _He did not_."

"Yes, I did."

" _Young sir-"_

"Dad, I think JARVIS is glitching," Peter said.

Dr. Banner, who was still in the room, stopped and stared at him.

"JARVIS doesn't glitch," Tony reminded. "What did you do?"

"Nothing!" he denied. "JARVIS has just been acting really weird lately, is all."

Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Dr. Banner slip out. His father took note of his departure as well, and motioned for Peter to sit. Grudgingly, he did.

"What's wrong?" Tony asked. "Girl trouble? School trouble? Is it Osborne's kid?"

"What? No, of course not." Peter shook his head and wished he had something to tinker with. "It's just, well... do you remember the field trip last week? And Mr. Osborne took us into one of the higher level labs?"

Tony pursed his lips. "Peter, what did you do?"

"Nothing!" he denied. "I mean, I didn't do anything, it's just- well, I'm not really entirely sure what happened. Something bit me, a spider, and now I-"

"You were bitten by a spider?" Tony nearly yelped, and then he was kneeling in front of his son, feeling his forehead, running his hands up and down Peter's arms, checking the dilation of his eyes. "Are you feeling okay? Do you know what kind it was- is it poisonous?"

Peter gently pushed his dad away, trying not to laugh. "No, Dad, I'm fine. It's just, well, I think the spider may have been a test subject? Or something? Anyway, something's... different."

Tony stilled. "Are you saying you were bitten by a lab rat?" he asked.

"Well, a lab _spider_ ," Peter corrected, "but... yes."

"And you didn't _tell_ anyone?" Tony demanded. "Peter Stark, did I or did I not raise you in a lab setting? You of all people should know lab safety rules!"

"But Dad-"

"You should have told me immediately," he continued. "Is this what JARVIS meant? Were you trying to avoid telling me?"

"Only because I knew you'd freak out," Peter said. "And, anyway, I've been researching this all weekend, kind of. I was hoping you'd help me run some tests?"

"Oh, we're running tests," Tony nodded, pulling Peter to his feet. "First, we're testing to make sure you're okay and aren't dying. Then, we're testing Osborne's lawyers, because I'm suing that guy for everything he's got."

"Dad!" Peter dug his heels, and, _whoa_. He's never been able to do that before. His father blinked as well, obviously not expecting the sudden strength. "Listen, I don't even know if the spider is Mr. Osborne's fault. It could have just been some freak thing, or, I don't know, anything."

Although, when Peter thought about it, the girls were definitely fussing over something on the field trip - they had sounded worried, but Peter and Harry were too busy playing 'woe is me' to pay too much attention.

"Dad, can't we just... not tell anyone?" he begged. "You know, keep it in-house? People are still stalking us to get pictures of me, the last thing we need is another wave of the press."

Tony bit his lip. He ran his fingers through his hair, and opened his mouth a few times without really saying anything. "Fine," he finally sighed, but still looked like he wanted to march over to OsCorp and threaten Harry's dad. "But we're telling Bruce, and you're going to kept under surveillance. The moment you start feeling sick, you tell me, got it?"

Peter nodded. "Yeah, Dad, promise. The moment something weird happens."

Miraculously, JARVIS didn't say a word.


	10. Side Effects pt 2

**Okay, I don't know if I've said this before on FF, but this fic is my stress reliever. It's not meant to be updated regularly, so please don't expect that. I write PS when I hit writer's block for my other stuff, or I just really need a break from real life. Also, someone asked if I would follow the movies with this, and the answer is: we'll see. Like I've said before, I write the chapters in random order, and I never plan any of it out. So just bear with me, and we'll figure it out together, okay?**

* * *

Peter paced his room, his hair sticking up at odd angles, and heavy bags under his eyes.

"I have to tell him, JARVIS," he muttered, almost too low for the AI to even hear him. "Bruce has already spotted changes in my DNA. If Dad finds out before I work up the nerve to tell him, he's going to kill me."

JARVIS was silent, and Peter sighed.

"He's all ready stressed over SHEILD, and Iron Man, and everything else. I can't add something to his list of worries. Maybe I should hold off on telling him for just a little bit longer."

Again, JARVIS didn't say a word.

With a groan, Peter collapsed on to his bed. The heels of his palms rubbed at his eyes, and he let the silence of the room wash over him before he spoke again.

"JARVIS," he said, "what am I supposed to do?"

" _I believe your father would prefer to hear the news from you, Young Sir._ "

"I knew you were gonna say that," Peter mumbled, but didn't make any move to sit up.

He's worried how his dad will take the news. Tony really was stressed, over more than just his superhero job. Ever since Peter's ID came out, they've been stopped by paparazzi every time they've tried to go out. It's been months since the attack on New York, but it seemed as if the only thing the paps care about is the Stark Men. Even while she's away on business, Pepper's been working herself thin, trying to give the media enough information to keep them off their backs, while still keeping their lives private. Tony has done several interviews and released a statement or two in hopes of getting people to settle down.

And now, the spider bite. They had immediately ruled out the spider being poisonous, but Bruce and Tony were still running test, trying to figure out everything they could from the mysterious spider. They suspected radiation, but couldn't prove it. Peter's notebook with his own notes and abilities was hidden under his mattress - an extremely boring and obvious hiding place, his dad would never even dream of looking there.

"Okay," Peter said, sitting up and resuming his pacing. "I'll tell Dad at dinner. It's just us two tonight , anyway, so I won't have to worry about anyone else."

" _Are you sure you won't chicken out this time, young sir?_ " JARVIS asked, and Peter gasped.

"How dare you, JARVIS, I did not _chicken out_ last time. I was- I was going to tell him on our walk that you prevented us from going on," he accused, his voice overly offended. "But I am going to tell him. I have to."

" _Indeed_."

Peter huffed, deciding that an artificial intelligence was not the best conversation partner, especially when he needed serious advice.

But really, who else was there to go to? Pepper would freak out the moment he would try to explain, and would most likely go to his Dad before he could, even if she was on the other side of the country. Uncle Rhodey would be nice to talk to, but his knowledge in science was limited, and he wasn't exactly up to date with the whole spider bite thing.

"Maybe I should just tell Dad now," he whispered. "JARVIS?"

" _He's in the workshop, Young Sir_."

"...Thanks."

He got all the way to the elevator before he stopped. His finger hovered over the button, and he took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. And then, before he could talk himself out of it, he pressed the button and stepped on the elevator as soon as the doors opened.

The music was deafening when the doors opened again, and JARVIS shut it off completely for him.

Tony looked up from the newest Iron Man suit with furrowed brows. When he spotted Peter, an uneasy grin grew on his face.

"Pete!" he called. "How ya doin' kid? Feeling okay? Banner said he wanted to run more tests."

"Um, yeah," Peter said, trailing his fingers over the equipment his dad had left out on the workbench. "Hey, Dad... about that-"

"Have you been feeling okay?" his dad demanded, placing his hand on Peter's forehead. "You know, you feel a little warm. I really think we need to call a doctor, or at least figure out what the hell Osborne was doing with a weird spider."

"No, Dad, listen," Peter stopped him, pushing his hand away. "I need to tell you something, but I really don't- I mean, it's really hard to explain. But something happened, when the spider bit me-"

"I knew it!"

"Dad." Peter glared until Tony had the nerve to look sheepish. "Anyway, so when the spider bit me, at first nothing happened, you know? I mean, it kind of hurt, and I was dizzy for a bit, but nothing major. But then we came home, and you went on that business trip, and I was doing my homework, and then my pencil was, like, sticking to my hand? And next thing I know, I'm stuck to the wall, and then I was on the ceiling, and JARVIS said-"

"Peter, Peter, hey," his dad called. His voice was soft, nearly a whisper, and he cupped Peter's face like he was afraid of spooking him. "Just breathe, Pete, and tell this to me again. Because it sounded like you just said you were stuck to the ceiling? What, like _The Thirteenth Year_?"

Peter barked out a laugh. "Well, I haven't thought of it like that, but yeah. A lot like _The Thirteenth Year_."

"So- so you're saying, that some spider bit you, and now you stick to walls," Tony clarified.

"And I have insanely good reflexes. Like, I did a backflip earlier just because," Peter continued. "And I'm really strong. You know that weight set you got Dr. Banner as a joke? Well I was messing around, and I can _lift_ , Dad."

"You can- you can _what_?" Tony shook his head. "Nevermind. We can deal with that later. But we need to get you back to the labs. Banner said he thought there was something weird, but we never dreamed... Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel fine," Peter assured. "Really, it's like nothing's changed."

"Yeah, you're right," Tony shrugged, rolling his eyes. "Nothing except you can climb walls and lift custom weights designed for the Hulk. No problem."

"Okay, well, when you put it like that, it definitely sounds like there's a problem," Peter gave in with a sigh. "But listen, I've been thinking... I started drawing up some plans for some gadgets, and I have this really cool idea. What if we-"

"Peter, please," Tony stopped him, pulling his son in for a hug. "Just slow down, kid. You've already scared me enough today. Whatever you have planned, wait for Pepper to come back so she can talk you out of it."

Peter didn't say anything as he hugged his father back tightly. He supposed it could wait.

But he wasn't letting it go.


	11. Side Effects pt 3

**Someone asked me if I would follow along with the movies, and the answer is I have no freaking clue. This is an AU, and right now, I'm just kind of writing whatever plotline pops up in my head, so I guess we'll see how it goes, and go from there. This is the last part of the Side Effects Arc, so this whole 'updating everyday' thing will not happen again for a long, long time. Sorry.**

* * *

Tony can't understand how Peter is so calm about it.

The kid climbed the wall like nothing, and when Bruce set a fifty pound weight in front of him, Peter lifted it with his pinky. He didn't freak out when they again considered the possibility of the spider being radioactive, and claimed he had already been considering it since day one.

Tony felt like he was going to be sick.

He should have done something. Maybe if he hadn't been arguing with Osborne, or even skipped the field trip all together. This was his son. If he couldn't even protect his own kid, how could he expect himself to save anyone else?

"Hey, Dad, you okay?" Peter asked. He was sitting on a steel table, shirtless. Bruce had him strapped to a heart monitor, and other than moving his arms around a bit, the teenager looked comfortable.

"I'm fine, Pete," Tony assured him, but as soon as Peter looked away, his face crumbled.

"So, I was thinking," Peter started. "Since I can climb walls, and I'm basically a human-spider hybrid thing, what if I had webs?"

"Webs?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow and looking up from his notepad. "Are you telling me you have another ability that you haven't told us about?"

Tony's breath hitched, and he didn't relax until Peter shook his head.

"No, but wouldn't it be cool?" he gushed. "While you guys were gone, I was doing my own research-"

"He was stalling," JARVIS translated.

"-and I got to thinking, I can't have spider powers and not have some kind of web stuff, right? So I designed these web shooters, and I have this idea for a web fluid-"

"No," Tony stopped him, raising his hand. "No, Peter, absolutely not. You are not- you can't- no."

Peter furrowed his brow. "I thought you were cool with this."

"You think I'm cool with this?" Tony asked, his voice rising involuntarily. "I'm not 'cool' with this, Peter. How is a parent supposed to be 'cool' when their kid gets bitten by a radioactive spider?"

Bruce looked between them, and vaguely motioned towards the door. "I'm gonna, uh... go." The scientist wasted no time scurrying out, and Tony waited for the door to shut before he stepped towards his son.

"Why did you feel the need to keep this from me?" he demanded. "If JARVIS hadn't have made you, would you have even told me you had been bitten?"

"Yes, Dad, of course," Peter said, his eyes wide. "I wouldn't have been able to hide it from you even if I wanted to."

Tony ran his hand down his face, and sighed.

"Dad," Peter called, "I'm okay. Dr. Banner said everything was fine. I might even have an enhanced healing factor, so really, I'm better than okay."

"I don't like it," Tony said. "Rhodey won't like it. Pepper's gonna have a fit."

Peter winced. "I hadn't even thought about Pepper. God, I'm going to be grounded for a month. And Mr. Osborne- I'm honestly surprised he hasn't gotten a visit from Iron Man yet."

"I think it'll be best if we keep this between us," Tony sighed. "We kept you a secret for fifteen years, we can surely keep this little development from getting out."

"When you say between us-"

"I'm telling Pepper."

Peter pouted. "Of course you are."

/

He waited until after Pepper returned from her board meeting and had a glass of her favorite wine in hand before Tony lead her to their personal lounge. He explained everything to her, sparing no details, and speaking quickly before she could blow up on him.

"What do you mean Peter has superpowers?" she demanded after it was clear that Tony was finished.

"I mean the kid prefers climbing on the ceiling instead walking." He took a swig of his own wine, and buried his head in his hands. "After all these years, doing everything I could to keep him safe. He wasn't even going to tell me. He said he was going to, but JARVIS had to force him into it. He couldn't even tell me he was bitten by a radioactive spider. What kind of father does that make me?"

Pepper gently took the wine glass from him and set it on the table they were sitting at. "Come on, Tony, you know he didn't mean it like that. You're a good dad."

"A good dad wouldn't have let this happen," Tony mumbled into his hands.

"And what exactly could you have done differently to prevent this, huh?" Pepper asked. "Stopped him from going on that field trip? Homeschooled him? There's nothing you could have done."

Tony seemed to actually think before he answered. "Maybe it's not too late for homeschooling."

"Oh, for the love of- Tony!"

"He wants to be a superhero," he said. "He hasn't said it, but I can see it in his eyes. He's talking about building some kind of web shooter, and he's getting these ideas."

"Can you blame him?" Pepper asked. "Ever since you created the suit, he's been idolizing you even more than he did before. He's wanted to help you since he was eleven and you came home with the idea to save the world."

"Great," Tony griped, reaching for the wine bottle. "So it is my fault."

The redhead glared as she snatched the bottle away from him. "Stop that. You can't blame yourself for this. Peter would have found a way eventually. He's your son, after all."

"You're not helping." He huffed, and closed his eyes. "After what happened with Loki and the Chitauri... I can't even imagine him going out there."

"Oh, Tony." Pepper ran her fingers through Tony's hair and smiled softly. "You said he has a healing factor, and something about a sixth sense. That's good, Tony. It means he'll be safe, no matter what he does."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Are you telling me you're honestly okay with this?" he asked. "You're completely fine with Peter have spider powers and him wanting to go out and be a superhero."

"Oh, god no," she denied. "I don't want it to happen anymore than you. But knowing Peter, he'll do it anyway. He's probably in the labs right now, working on a costume or something else."

"Actually, he's in his room, hiding from you," he confessed.

"Figures." With a sigh, Pepper patted Tony's leg before standing up. "Have you grounded him yet?"

"Worse." He gave a half hearted smirk, "I told him you would ground him."

She gave him a flat stare before shaking her head leaving.

Tony stared after her until she reached the elevator, then his gaze turned back to the wine. He thought of his son, probably hanging from his bedroom ceiling. Pepper would probably take away his lab privileges for at least two weeks. Peter would whine and pout for one week before Tony would more than likely give in, like he had several times before.

With a huff, he stood from his seat and grabbed the leftover wine. He poured it down the sink and left without glancing back.

If his son really was going to insist on being a hero, then Tony would make sure his boy was safe.


End file.
